Cook: Pompey profligacy has to end

Pompey boss Paul Cook Picture: Joe Pepler

Jordan Cross

PAUL COOK warned Pompey they need to find their killer instinct to force their way into the promotion picture.

And that means the Blues finally ridding themselves of their ability to drop points despite dominating opponents.

A look at recent stats underlines the failure of Pompey to operate with a cutting edge and how that is proving costly.

Cook’s side carved out 15 shots on goal to Stevenage’s nine in last Saturday’s 2-1 Fratton Park loss.

The recent trip to Cheltenham saw 18 efforts racked up to eight in the 1-1 draw.

Defeat to Notts County (17 shots to five) and Doncaster (15 shots to six), along with the draw at Plymouth (14 shots to eight), are other examples of dropped points despite out-firing the opposition over the past six weeks.

But the opening-day draw with Carlisle (23 shots to two) still stands out as the most outstanding example of profligacy.

Cook knows those statistics simply have to start equating to wins.

He said: ‘It’s important we take our chances.

‘We’ll get chances, for sure, if we’re at it.

‘It’s important we now convert those chances. You have to score the third goal, for example. That’s the thing.

‘We have been in those positions, like Carlisle away last year, when you need the third goal. If you don’t get the third goal when you’re on top it can hurt you.

‘We need to find a way of doing that. Without a shadow of a doubt.

‘The third goal took the life out of Luton when we played them. Five minutes felt like a minute after that went in.

‘If we didn’t get that third goal that five minutes would’ve been a testing five minutes.’